Jimmy Lee's autobiography; his life and adventures from wartime care-home child and naval rating to country sportsman, music club owner, respected composer and musician, traces the rise of this remarkably determined man. It is interspersed with hilarious and sometimes shocking anecdotes of his many adventures. Born into a working class family during the second world war, as a child he witnessed the dogfights between the RAF and the German Luftwaffe, the 'doodlebugs' - flying bombs - and the preparations for the 'D-Day' landings. His early life was spent living in the villages bordering the South Downs in Sussex, attending local schools and in his spare time learning the traditions essential to country life. At the age of fourteen he ran away from home and joined the Royal Navy but it did not take him long before he realized his mistake, and, seven years later, after many tribulations and severe punishments, he finally obtained his discharge papers. His life then lead him into the world of music, a successful business career, the development of a popular sporting estate and music club, before he finally rediscovered his true calling as a composer and performer of his own particular style of music.Jim has had a varied and interesting life and his autobiography sheds a light on a part of British life that is now disappearing. His journey has been as much one of self-discovery as finding a meaningful career and, despite the harsh experiences he has endured, he has pursued his quest and finally discovered his true self and his lifetime partner.

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Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book..... couldn t put it down! --tgp

I could have read this in one go, thoroughly enjoyable --Bluegirl

This is the life story so far, of Jimmy Lee. Life never did Jimmy any favours, but he never asked for any, all he asked was to be his own man. This led him to terms of imprisonment in the hardest of naval prisons, to fame on the country scene of Nashville and much, much more besides. A story always told with honesty, humour and sometimes heart breaking detail. But shining through the words comes Jimmy's love of the countryside, music, life, and his belief in the ideal of reaching for your dreams, and being the best that you can be. But beware reading this book may make you think that perhaps you should have tried harder and risked more to have achieved your full potential and dared to be, just as Jimmy did. Jimmy is a true and talented wordsmith, not only in his prose, but also in the many of his song lyrics that are interspersed throughout the book. They tell the moving story of his life in heartaching rhythm and rhyme. Read his book, listen to his music, and be glad. --tiocarmino

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This is the life story so far, of Jimmy Lee. Life never did Jimmy any favours, but he never asked for any, all he asked was to be his own man. This led him to terms of imprisonment in the hardest of naval prisons, to fame on the country scene of Nashville and much, much more besides. A story always told with honesty, humour and sometimes heart breaking detail. But shining through the words comes Jimmy's love of the countryside, music, life, and his belief in the ideal of reaching for your dreams, and being the best that you can be. But beware reading this book may make you think that perhaps you should have tried harder and risked more to have achieved your full potential and dared to be, just as Jimmy did. Jimmy is a true and talented wordsmith, not only in his prose, but also in the many of his song lyrics that are interspersed throughout the book. They tell the moving story of his life in heartaching rhythm and rhyme. Read his book, listen to his music, and be glad.

Some people lead humdrum lives. Some people choose ordinary and safe. Some people reach the end of their allotted time on earth regretting the things they haven’t done, and not the things they have. Jimmy Lee is not one of those people.

Jimmy has thrown himself enthusiastically, (though not always particularly accurately), into every opportunity that life has presented him with. No stranger to triumph or disaster, he will be the first to admit that spur of the moment decisions have played their part in some of the disasters, but equally, along with coincidences and good fortune, have just as often come to his rescue.

The story of his life is littered with hilarious escapades that only a character of his offbeat personality could have got into, but also deprivation, sadness and loss. The abuse he suffered as a young sailor in the care of the Royal Navy was just a reflection of how things were, there and then. Jim tells these stories matter of factly, without a trace of bitterness, where lesser men would bear the scars.

His lifelong love of music is central to his narrative, from early meetings with the leading lights of Tin Pan Alley, through residencies in Nashville, gigs at the Blue Coconut Club in his beloved Sussex shoot, and the music he writes and records today. If you enjoy this book, seek out his music, for it provides the soundtrack of his extraordinary life. Jim hit his stride as a writer well into his life as a musician, but the songs go right back to his childhood in the Sussex countryside, and the lyrics that punctuate the book add realism and depth to his story.

You will certainly laugh, and maybe shed a tear here and there, but I very much doubt if you’ll be bored.

For those who are familiar with Jimmy Lee’s music this book gives a fascinating but not surprising background to his songs. The reason behind the depth of those songs and the emotion displayed by the artist in concert is to be found within the pages of this book. Jimmy writes beautiful songs but he also tells a good story and this book is no story ! Alternatively for those in the modern world who identify a crisis as the lack of an internet signal maybe you should just read this for a dose of reality and see what can be achieved through resilience and willpower ( with a little bit of luck thrown in ). Well done Jimmy for putting this account in writing. I enjoyed reading it and the songs will mean so much more now. Maybe this isn’t literature in the purist sense but it is a beautiful rags to riches story which deserves a read.

Jimmy Lee has written a direct and no holds barred account of his life from his childhood in Sussex during WW2, through his frustrating period in the Royal Navy, commercial successes and then his emerging as an extremely talented writer of songs and melodies, many relating directly to his experiences.His story should be read by all who are struggling in a job they do not care for as an inspiration to achieve what they really seek.Listen to his music: The Ragamuffin, The Runaway, and The Empty Room